Image forming apparatus and image forming system having a user authentication function

An image forming system comprising:

• an operation terminal, an image forming apparatus, and an external user authentication server, wherein each of the operation terminal, the image forming apparatus, and the external user authentication server are connected to a network,
• the operation terminal including:
• a print driver processing part that transmits, via the network, print request data comprising user determination data and image data to the image forming apparatus;
• and
• a use-non-permission notice data receiving part that receives notice data for use non-permission of the image forming apparatus, and
• the image forming apparatus including:
• a control part that controls the image forming apparatus;
• an auxiliary memory part that includes user authentication data;
• a second network communication part;
• an operation panel;
• and
• a printing part,
• wherein the image forming apparatus can perform a first user authentication process and a second user authentication process;
• wherein the image forming apparatus, if input of user authentication data is received via the operation panel, performs the first user authentication process which comprises matching the user authentication data input via the operation panel with the user authentication data included in the auxiliary memory part,
• wherein the control part includes a controller, an application platform, and an user authentication application,
• wherein the user authentication application is created by a user of the image forming apparatus and includes a port for printing that is an opened port and is an interface for inputting the print request data,
• wherein, the second user authentication process, if the print request data including the user determination data and the image data is received via the second network communication part from the operation terminal, is performed by the user authentication application,
• wherein the second user authentication process comprises:
• i) the user authentication application extracting the user determination data from the print request data,
• ii) the user authentication application transmitting the user determination data to the external user authentication server;
• and
• iii) the user authentication application receiving the notice data for use permission or a notice data for use non-permission from the external user authentication server;
• wherein, when the notice data for use permission is received by the the user authentication application from the external user authentication server, the user authentication application extracts the image data from the print request data and outputs the extracted image data to the application platform, and the application platform outputs the image data to the controller, and the controller outputs the image data to the printing part, and
• wherein, when the notice data for use non-permission is received by the user authentication application from the external user authentication server, the user authentication application transmits the notice data for use non-permission to the operation terminal.